A seminarian and another worshipper were abducted on Sunday during a church service at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Inoyi, in the Affa community of Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The gunmen, said to be armed with rifles and other weapons, reportedly stormed the church while the service was in progress, throwing worshippers into panic as they fled for safety.
Sources said the attackers initially abducted three people — a seminarian, a catechist and another member of the congregation. However, the catechist was later released, while the seminarian and the other worshipper were taken away by the assailants.
The incident was first made public by social media influencer Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, who disclosed it in a Facebook post.
According to Ugwuanyi, youths in the community immediately mobilised and began searching nearby bushes in an effort to rescue the victims.
He noted that the search was being conducted cautiously amid fears that the kidnappers were heavily armed and could have laid ambushes or fortified their hideout.
“The whole village has been thrown into panic as the search continues,” he wrote.
Following the attack, Ugwuanyi called on the Enugu State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to address the worsening security situation in the area.
He urged the authorities to act swiftly to secure the release of the two abducted victims and prevent further attacks on the community.
Residents, who have been left in fear by the incident, also appealed to the state government and security agencies to strengthen security in the area and ensure the safety of lives and property.
As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the abducted seminarian and the other worshipper had not been officially confirmed, while security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.